A novel acid resistant green mortar for high corrosive environments

A new type of repair mortar (Aegis G) based on sustainable technology and industrial cementitious by-products with less than 10% OPC is developed. The new product consists of specified additives, accelerators and reinforcing agents, specially developed for this technology. The new acid resistant mortar showed high rate of hardening under normal conditions: >20MPa in 7 days, >40MPa in 28 days and >47MPa in 56 days for all batches tested during the last two years. Besides high tensile and flexural strength and modulus of rupture, the new product has excellent long term resistance to corrosive environments with very low permeability and minimal changes in the mechanical properties. The tested samples prepared from the product did not show any changes in their dimensions while 60MPa OPC cubes eroded and/or vanished completely when immersed in 5–20% sulphuric acid for 5–12 weeks .The new product has low shrinkage with outstanding adhesion properties to most construction surfaces. The failure occurred within the substrate concrete and not at the interface. The Aegis G is designed to provide long term resistance to most corrosive environments. The product is a versatile material that can be hand/trowel applied as well as spray applied and can be used for long term protection in a number of different aggressive environments which include: (1) re-lining of sewer trunk lines and manholes, (2) use as acid resistant grout for back fill of lining systems, (3) as acid resistant grout for use with impressed current cathodic protection, (4) lining channels of drinking water which require ion leaching resistant cement

Targeting the cause, not just the symptoms: A new treatment for chronic low back pain – results of the ReActiv8-A trial [Conference Abstract]

Introduction: For many people with chronic low back pain (CLBP), the root cause of the persistence of pain is disruption in control of the key muscles that stabilize the lumbar spine, particularly the lumbar multifidus. A feasibility study demonstrated that stimulation of the L2 medial branch to elicit episodic repetitive smooth contractions of the lumbar multifidi facilitated recovery from CLBP. Purpose: ReActiv8-A is a prospective single arm clinical trial designed to evaluate a new implantable neurostimulation stimulation system (ReActiv8® by Mainstay Medical). Materials and methods: Ten centers in Australia and Europe enrolled 92 subjects, of whom 47 proceeded to ReActiv8 implant and 46 reached the 90 day follow up. Key inclusion criteria included disabling CLBP (low back pain NRS ≥ 6) despite a minimum of 90 days of medical management including at least physical therapy and drugs, no prior spine surgery, and no indications for spine surgery or spinal cord stimulation. After the treatment activation visit, subjects were asked to administer two 30-min stimulation sessions per day for a minimum of 90 days. At baseline, average duration of CLBP was 13.8 ± 10.3 years; average age was 43.9 ± 10.7 years. The majority of subjects (70%) were regularly taking opioids at baseline, and many were taking NSAIDS. The population had attempted all or most available treatments for their CLBP. Results: At the 90 day follow up, 63% of subjects reported a ≥2 point improvement on single day NRS for average low back pain with a mean improvement of 2.3 ± 0.3 (33%) compared to baseline of 6.7 ± 0.2 (n = 46; p < 0.0001), and at 180 days it was 58% with a mean improvement of 2.1 ± 0.4 (30%) (n = 45, p < 0.0001). The proportion of subjects with a clinically important improvement in disability (≥10 point reduction in ODI) at 90 days was 57% with a mean improvement of 14.8 ± 2.3 (33%) compared to baseline of 46.4 ± 1.8 (n = 46, p < 0.0001), and at 180 days it was 60% with a mean improvement of 12.4 ± 2.4 (30%) compared to baseline of 45.2 ± 2.1 (n = 45, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: These results show that subjects with disabling CLBP implanted with ReActiv8, experienced a clinically important, statistically significant and lasting improvement in their low back pain, related disability and quality of life